Potato-digging machine



C. M. C. BARRETT POTATO DIGGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21 1917. RENEWED SEPT-29, I919.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB-2.1917- RENEWED SEPT.29, I919.

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POTATO DIGGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.2, 1917. RENEWED SEPT.29, 1919.

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POTATO DIGGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, IQIL RENEWED SEPT.29, 1919.

1,321,782. Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

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Q vi/bm comm CASSIUS M. G. BARRETT, 0F COUPEVILLE, WASHINGTON.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed February 2, 1917, Serial No. 146,170. Renewed September 29, 1919. Serial No. 327,302.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, CASSIUS M. C. BAR- new, a citizen of the United States, residing at Coupeville, in the county of Island, State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Potato-Digging Machine; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 3

This invention relates to a new and useful potato digging machine, and oneof the ob- ]ects of the invention is to provide an improved digger for excavating the potatoes from the ground. 1

A further object of the invention'is to provide means to be handled by the operator for raising or lowering the digger according to the size of the hills of potatoes.

A further object of the invention is to provide means on the digger for severin the vines, as the potatoes are excavated rom the hills.

A further object of the invention is the provisionof a digger having its digger end comprising blades, which are .arranged partially V-shaped and have their forward cutting edges arranged V-shaped, thereby facilitating the digging of the potatoes.

One of the features of the invention is to construct the bottom of the digger of a series of bars connected to. the rear portions of the digger blades extending upwardly and rearwa-rdly and curving down and. merging into forwardly extending parts, which are secured to a transverse bar of the digger member, so that the potatoes will travel up.-

wardly and rearwardly, in order to be transmitted tothe upwardly and rearwardly extending conveyor.

In practical fields, the details of construction may necessitate alterations falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved potato digging machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 0 Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the digger member.

Fig. is a sectional view through the same.

Fig. 6 1s a detail sectional view of the conveyer 50, showing the projections 72.

F1g. 7 1s a detail perspective view of one of the blades 19.

ferring more especially to the drawings,

1 designates a suitable frame, which may forward axle in any suitable manner, pref-- erably, to be turned to the ri ht or the left, 1n any suitable manner, not s own. Mount ed on and carried by the forward axle is a ball shaped loop 9, the forward portions of the sides of which curve toward each other and merge into the straight portions 10, which are substantially parallel with each other. The portions 10 at their forward parts extend toward each other and terminate in the forward parallel extensions 11, between which a suitable tongue 12 is connected, as shown at 13, whereby the ma chine may be drawn along the rows of hills of potatoes. Secured to the outer faces of the portions 10, are the straps 14, which are so spaced from the portions 10 as to form guides 15.

In order to excavate the potatoes from the hills, an improved digger 16 is provided. This digger comprises a frame consisting of the opposite sides 17, which are provided with various elongated slots 18, in order to permit some of the dirt and the like from the potatoes to sift therethrough. This digger also consists of the blades 19, and these blades are arranged in V-shaped relation, so

that their adjacent edges abut. The blades 19 have their cutting edges 20 extending toward each other in V-shap'ed relation, and the outermost forward portions of said blades have extensions 22, which constitute -means to dig into the hills, in order to stir up the dirt about the potatoes, as they are scooped up by said blades. The outer side portions of said blades are bent to form the flanges 23, and these flanges are elongated and extend rearwardly and arepsecured at 24 to the sides17- of the digger. In order to sup ort and reinforce said blades a transverse ar 25v is arranged under the hladesto conform thereto. This bar 25, at both ends, terminates in end flanges 26, which are se-- cured at 27 to the flanges of said blades, thereby producing a fi'rm structure. A bar 29 provided with end flanges 3O isarrangcd between the sides of the dig r and has lts end flanges secured at'32 to t e sides of the digger, at the rear portions of said s1des. The bottom of the digger rearwardly beyond the blades comprises a series of upwardly and rearwardly extending rods 33. The forward ends of the rods 33 are bent downwardly slightly and forwardly and are riveted through the bar 25 and said blades; These rods 33, at their rear arts, curve downwardly and merge into orward ex tensions, which are riveted through the bar 29, as shown at 34. By this construction, the rods 33 are held rigid and firm. Itis to be noted that owing to the blades 19 being disposed in V-shaped relation, the forward portions of said rods 33 will assume such positions as to form the bottom (which consists of the rods 33) of the digger Y- shaped correspondingly to the blades 19, 1n order that the potatoes in passin up the bars 19 will be maintained toward t e center of the digger. A tapering plate 35 curved -m cross section has its op osite ends secured or connected in any suita 1e manner to the sides 17 of the d1gger.. Risln from' the o posite ends of this plate are t e arms 36.

arried by the arms 36 is the shearing plate 37, which has a longitudinal opening 38, constituting a guide or the cutter bar 39. When this cutter bar reciprocates, the vines are severed, and by means of the plate 35, the several parts move toward one side of the machine. The plate 35 also acts as a guard to prevent the tops of the potato plants from falling over upon the rods 33. One end of the cutter bar 39 has an upwardly extending slotted arm 40. Exten ing laterally from one of the sides 17 of the dig er, is a bracket '41, which is provided wit the upwardly extending bearing arms 42, in which the shaft 43 is mounted. One end of this shaft 43 has a beveled gear 44,

' the other end of the shaft is provided with a crank 45 extending into the slot of the arms 40, so that when power is transmitted to the shaft 43, the cutter bar is reciprocated, so as'to sever the tops of the potato plants, which fall u on the plate 35 and pass to one side 0 the machine. This beveled gear 44 meshes with the beveled g ar 46, which has a ear 47 carried by and movable therewith. assing about the gear 47 is a sprocket chain 48. Carried between the forward ends of the channel beams, is an upwardly and rearwardly extending conveyer frame 49 having a conveyor 50. The lower end of the conveyer has its sprocket chains 51 passing about the sprocket wheels 52 of the shaft 53. The sprocket chains 51 of said conveyer 50, at the upper end thereof, pass over the sprockets 54 of the shaft 55. On one end of the shaft 53, are sprockets 56 and 57, the ing andoperated by the sprocket chain 48, while the sprocket 57 is engaged and operated by the sprocket chain 58, which passes over and is operated by the sprocket 59 of the rear drive axle 4. The potatoes, as they are gathered by the digger, and move upwardly and rearwardly, fall upon the pro.- iections of the conveyer 50, the part or memer 73 acting to catch the potatoes in case they miss the projections or fingers of the conveyer 50. These projections 72 project from the conveyer 50 andinterengage between the rear curved rts of the rods 33. It is to be noted that t e rear curvedparts of said rods 33 are'of such contour and are disposedin such relation with the lower end of the conveyer 50, as to provide a sort of a pocket, as shown at 73, and the projections 72 will convey the potatoes u wardly and rearwardly. A plate 73 is disposed under the lower end of the conveyer 50, so as to catch the potatoes, in case none of the projections 72 are assing between the rear curved parts of sai rods. Secured to the sides 17 of the digger are the forks 74 of the curved arms 75, which enga and are guided by the guides 15 formed y the straps 14. Pivoted at 76 to one of the portions 10 of the bail 9 is a T-shaped lever 77. It is to be noted that the sides 17 of the digger have slots 78 extending vertically, and these slots are en aged by the links 79, which in turn engage 518 slots 80 of the sides 49 of the conveyer 50. A link or a chain 81 is connected to the forward portion of one of the sides 17 of said digger, and is in turn connected to one of the arms of the T-end of said lever 77, so that when tilting the lever rearwardly, the digger may be raised or lowered. In other words, the depth of the digger into the hills of potatoes may be governed by said lever 77, there being -a chain 83 connected to the other arm of the T-shaped lever to limit the forward movement of the same. -When the digger is raised, the arms 75, coeperating with the guides 15, will uide the digger in its move ment. A suitab e platform 105 is supported at one side of the sides 49 of the conveyer 50,'so that an operator may be sup orted thereon, for manipulating said T-s aped lever, to govern the depth of the digger, and to keep a close watch on the operation of the other parts of the machine.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and use is 1. In a potato digger, a digger member,

sprocket 56 engag-' verse brace for the rear parts of the sides,

digger blades arranged V -shaped to each other and having cutting edges disposed in.

V-shaped relation, and upwardly and rear- 'wardly extending rods arranged in close parallelism and having their forward ends connected to the blade and having their rear parts curved downwardly and under and extending forwardly and connected to the brace.

2. In a potato di ging machine, a digger, comprising sides, igging blades arranged V-shaped to each other and having cuttlng edges in V-sha-ped relation, said blades having downwardly extending flanges at their outer ends, said flanges extending rearwardly and being secured to said-sides.

3. In a potato digging machine, a digger, comprising sides, digging blades arranged V-shaped to each other and'having cutting edges in V-shaped relation, said blades having downwardly extending flanges at their outer ends, said flanges extendin rearwardly and being secured to said si es, said blades near their sides at their forward 'portions having projections to cut into the hills of potatoes.

4. In a machine as set forth, a frame having supporting wheels, an adjustable digger on the forward end of the frame, said digger comprising sides, rear and forward bars connectmg said sides, digger members secured to the forward bar consisting of plates having their meeting ends higher than their opposite outer ends, whereby said plates are arranged V-sh'aped, said plates having cuttin' edges arranged V-shaped, upwardly an rearwardly extendingrods arranged in close parallelism and having their forward ends connected to the forward bar and disposed to conform to the V-shaped contour of the digger member and having their rear por-' tions terminating in almost completely circula-r parts connected to the rear bar, whereby the potatoes will travel upwardly and rearwardly to be elevated.

5. In a machine as set forth, a frame, having supporting wheels, an adjustable digger Iii on the forward end of said frame, said digger comprising sides, rear'and forward bars connecting said sides, digger members secured to the forward bar and havin forward cutting edges arranged V-shape said digger mem er comprising plates, the outer ends of which adjacent the terminals of the cutting edges are provided with projections exten having inner cutting edges, a tapering plate connecting the sides immediately above the digger members and being curved in cross section, whereby the tops of the potato bushes, as they are severed, may be cammed toward and to one side of the machine, upwardly and rearwardly inclined rods having their forward ends connected to the forward bar and arranged in a plane in conformity to the digger members, the upper rear ends of said rods terminating in almost completely circular parts extending rearwardly and downwardly and forwardly under the rear parts of the rod and having their terminals connected to the rear bar, means adjacent the rear under portions of said circular parts to catch the potatoes, whereby they may be elevated. 1

6. In a machine as set forth, a frame, having supporting wheels, an adjustable digger on the forward end of said frame, sald digger comprising sides, rear and forward 'bars connecting said sides, digger members secured to the forward bar and having forward cutting edges arranged V- shaped, said digger member comprising plates, the outer ends of which adjacent the terminals of the cutting edges are provided with projections'having inner cutting edges, a tape ring plate connecting the sides immediately above the digger members and being curvedin cross section, whereby the tops of nected to the forward bar and arranged in I a plane in conformity to the digger members, the upper rear ends of said rods terminatin in almost completel circular parts fling rearwardly and ownwardly and forwardly and under the rear parts of the rod. and having their terminals connected to the rear bar, means for loosely connecting the sides of the digger to the forward part of the frame, said forward part of the frame having guides, curved arms extending upwardly from the sides of the 'gger mounted in said guides and means for tilting the digger.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothis specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CASS-IUS M. C. BARRETT.

\Vitnesses:

J. J. JACOBS, W. H. Ives. 

